1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to insulative beverage holders. More particularly, the present invention is primarily intended for consumers who wish to keep beverages either hot or cold by placing the beverage container into an insulative orifice or pocket in a pillow. The present invention thus further enables users to place the pillow or insulative beverage holder or on a variety of irregular surfaces and further provides users with a comfortable arm rest.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art comprises myriad insulated beverage holders which are designed or have been developed to allow for the simultaneous holding of a beverage and the maintenance of the beverage temperature. The prior art further comprises pillows or cushions of many different types as well as a sizeable number of methods to allow for proper cushioning. The prior art combining or simultaneously touching on these general fields of art are fewer in number. Some of the art touching on these general fields of art is described hereinafter.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0104845 ('845 Publication), filed by Beuke, discloses a Highly Adaptable Thermal Insulator for Adapting to an Unprecedented Range of Sizes and Shapes of Beverage Containers. The Thermal Adaptor comprises a tubular insulator with open ends that are formed from two elastic panels. Each panel has straight top and bottom edges with elastic hems. The side edges of each panel are slightly curved to maintain the properties and proper appearance of the insulator. To form the insulator, two of the panels are joined along their side edges to form a tube. The insulator is placed around a beverage container to better insulate the container and maintain the temperature of the beverage located therein. The insulator accommodates significant variation in the size and shape of beverage containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,428 ('428Patent), which issued to Zorich et al., discloses a Collapsible Beverage Container Holding Device. The Collapsible Beverage Container Holding Device is designed to facilitate the ability to position the holder conveniently and securely at a seat or couch cushion or bed mattress level. The holder is designed to be packaged as a flat folded piece of material, typically plastic or the like, that can be unfolded and assembled in a simple fashion. Once assembled, a mounting portion of the base is slid under the seat or couch cushion or bed mattress with the beverage receiving portion protruding therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,422 ('422 Patent), which issued to Gale, discloses A Beverage Container and Closure Therefor Which Can Serve as a Coaster. The Beverage Container and Closure Therefor comprises a bowl having a generally hemispherical base and an axis and an upstanding wall circular in cross-section adjoining the generally hemispherical base and being inclined upwardly and inwardly to define a circular lip lying in a plane which is perpendicular to the axis of the hemispherical base and providing an opening providing access to a space within the bowl. The closure comprises a circular rim lying in a plane and having a wall circular in cross-section adjoining the rim and extending downwardly and outwardly and being sized to cover the opening of the container. A cooperative seal is carried by the closure and the container for forming an air tight seal between the rim of the closure and the lip of the bowl. A band secures the closure to the container to maintain a sealing engagement between the o-ring and the closure and the o-ring and the bowl.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,561 ('561 Patent), which issued to Lorenzana et al., discloses a Lap Tray. The Lap Tray comprises an elongated body portion to be supported across the upper legs of a seated person providing recessed areas for food and beverage containers and having downwardly extending vertical projections at the ends of the body portion to engage the outer thighs to retain the tray in a supporting position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,758 ('758 Patent), which issued to Merritt, discloses a Combination Seat Cushion and Cheering Aid. The Combination Seat Cushion and Cheering Aid comprises a hand hole for carrying convenience, particularly at sporting events. IN order to demonstrate enthusiasm for a particular contestant or team, the item is held overhead for use as a portable, handheld display sign or billboard. An imprint might be used for showing support for a particular athlete. The faces of the cushion may be imprinted with insignia of a team such as a university or professional sport team. An alternate embodiment has a hand hole adapted to receive a beverage cup.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,182 ('182 Patent), which issued to Laybourne, discloses a Coaster. The Coaster is designed for use with a beverage can, bottle or other container with the coaster providing an absorbent member having a seat sized to receive the bottom or foot of the container and a multiplicity of interconnected capillary spaces sized to receive and safely retain any moisture present or forming as condensate on an running or dripping from the container. Fixed relative to the absorbent member is a coupling member having a series of semi-resilient contact elements positioned to releasably engage the container and couple the coaster to the container as the container is placed on the coaster. The coaster thus remains on the container as it is picked up and moved about by one consuming beverage from the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,270 ('270 Patent), which issued to Rivera, discloses a Combined Baby Pillow Case and Bottle Holder. The Combined Baby Pillow Case and Bottle Holder comprises a pillow case having a receptacle upon its upper side in which a baby bottle is retained during a time of nursing, and the pillow case upper side including a sideward extending flap upon which a baby rests its head while sucking on the bottle nipple.
It will thus be seen that none of the prior art provides a pillow with an insulative beverage container-holding orifice or socket structure for maintaining an inserted beverage container in a substantially upright position, which socket structure further maintains the beverage temperatures. The prior art thus perceives a need for a pillow with an insulative beverage container-holding orifice or socket structure for maintaining an inserted beverage container in a substantially upright position, which socket structure further maintains the beverage temperatures. What is essentially needed is a product for supporting a beverage container upright on a variety of non-uniform, non-flat, flat, and non-planar surfaces that also provides for insulating the beverage container.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of our invention to provide an insulated or insulative beverage container within a pillow to assist in minimizing any change of temperature of liquid contents of the container.
It is a further object of our invention to provide a broad base to the pillow such that it may conform to a variety of different non-uniform, non-flat, and non-planar surfaces.
It is a still further object of our invention to provide an insulated beverage holder that may maintain the temperature of the beverage container and the beverage that the container is holding.
It is a further object of our invention to provide for positioning a socket structure which is the insulated beverage container within the center of the pillow such that the pillow may also provide comfortable support for a user's arm.
It is a still further object of our invention to provide for a decorative pillow on the side opposite the opening to the insulated beverage container.
Other objects of our invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.